1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a stapler for binding sheets of paper placed one upon another by driving staples therethrough, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an electric stapler.
2. Background of the Invention
Stapler for attaching, for example, sheets of paper together is a necessary tool in the modern office. Manually operated staplers are in widespread use largely due to their modest price and outstanding reliability. However, some force is required to operate a manual stapler, especially when driving a staple through a thick stack of paper. To use a manual stapler, it must first be conveniently positioned on a table or desk so that the user can orient his hand and arm to exert sufficient force to drive the staple. Alternatively, the stapler can be grasped in the hand and squeezed between the fingers and palm to drive the staple. Either way requires that the stapler itself be repeatedly handled and/or moved, creating unnecessary and time-consuming operations. Moreover, due to the unstable force from the user, staple jamming often occurs. Electrically powered staplers eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages associated with manual staplers. Electrically powered staplers are more convenient and stable to use, jam less often, and are simpler to clean should jamming occur. Electrically powered staplers can be located in any convenient place such as on a desk or table, or far enough away from the user so as not to clutter his or her workspace and yet within easy reach to allow the user to extend a stack of paper into the stapler to effect attachment of the sheets in the stack.
Such electrical staplers are not without their problems. A disadvantage of electric staplers is that they are often larger than manual staplers and require electricity to operate. Electric staplers further have to be installed near a socket-outlet rendering their use inconvenient.
A typical electric stapler comprises an enclosure with a platform, an electric motor received in the enclosure, a power transmission device driven by the motor, a magazine receiving a plurality of staples, a clincher engaging a blade driven by the power transmission device to clinch the staples on the clincher, and a switch controlling the motor.
The typical electric stapler further comprises a guide device defining a guideway. The guideway of the guide device restricts the blade to reciprocally move up and down in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the clincher on a platform. Accordingly, the typical electric stapler requires more space to allow the magazine to move up and down when stapling. The additional space increases the size of the stapler. In addition, assembly errors may adversely impact the combination of the blade and the magazine and increase the friction among the blade, the magazine, and the guide device. When this occurs, more power may be required to overcome the increase in friction when stapling. In light of the foregoing, there is a need to improve the typical electric stapler.